Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety

Undertaking world-class research and translating them into innovative solutions and tools that address the real-world challenges facing government and industry professionals in the disaster management and public safety environment.

The Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety (CDMPS) was established in 2014 at the University of Melbourne.

CDMPS strives to promote disaster management research at the University of Melbourne. It fosters interdisciplinary research collaborations, provides training and skills development for our community of researchers, and promotes knowledge exchange and impact with regional, national and international stakeholders.

The Centre provides research facilities for disaster management researchers at Masters level and above. The building provides a workspace for higher degree researchers, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, as well as visiting scholars and research groups. The Centre hosts a wide range of collaborative, training and engagement activities.

Through consultation with key stakeholders and a review of research on major disasters and further review in 2016, CDMPS has identified five key priority areas that are critical for enhancing disaster management practice and policy:

Understanding and Mitigating Extreme Events and Critical Incidents

Enabling Technology, Informatics and Analytics

Improving Whole-Life Infrastructure System Performance and Resilience

Strengthening Organisational, Institutional and Community Resilience

Enhancing Policy and Decision Making

We welcome questions about the Centre and suggestions for research and engagement activities. Please contact us at cdmps-info@unimelb.edu.au.

Research at CDMPS focuses on themes associated with preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating against incidents across the all-hazards spectrum of emergency/disaster management. This is an important objective in light of major disasters worldwide which have had a significant impact.

Research Priority Areas

In 2017, CDMPS reviewed its 6 research priority areas as part of developing a new strategic plan for the future. The research units were redefined and extended into the current 5 research priority areas.

Understanding and Mitigating Extreme Events and Critical Incidents

Enabling Technology, Informatics and Analytics

Improving Whole-Life Infrastructure System Performance and Resilience

Strengthening Organisational, Institutional and Community Resilience

Enhancing Policy and Decision Making

Research Units

The Research Units aim to address the Research Priority Areas. Each unit focuses on tackling particular challenges in disaster management and public safety and on developing innovative solutions.

CDMPS engages with a wide range of national and international stakeholders and service providers from government and the private sector of disaster and emergency management. We work to engage with industry and communities to grow their understanding of disaster management practices and to improve public safety and community resilience to disasters. The Centre also engages through forums, symposia, workshops and public lectures to reach our broad audience.

The Centre welcomes new opportunities to engage with stakeholders. If you would like to work with us, please contact us at cdmps-info@unimelb.edu.au.

The Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety provides a specialised training program to practitioners and postgraduate students wishing to work in emergency and disaster management. This includes specialised workshops, symposia and conferences for researchers and shorter training programs for government agencies, private sector bodies and other groups at the executive level.

CDMPS welcomes interest into our training capabilities. If you would like CDMPS to present a workshop or executive training in the area of disaster management and public safety, including the Centre's specific capabilities, please get in touch with us at cdmps-info@unimelb.edu.au.